Carbon reservoir and feeding mechanism therefor



Feb. 25, 1936. J. L, WESTHAVER 29932924@ CARBON RESERVOIR AND FEEDNG MECHANISM THEREFOR Filed MaFCh 24, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet l WN v F w nn-.L

1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jmll. Weszzavei;

J. L. WESTHAVER CARBON RESERVOIR AND FEEDING MECHANISM THEREFOR Filed March 24,

Patented Feb. 25, 1936 PATENT OFFIQE CARBON RESERVOIR AND FEEDING M'ECHANISM THEREFOR John L. Westliaver, San Diego, Calif., assigner of fifty per cent to Robert Calif.

B. Hill, San Diego,

Appiication March 24, 1934, Serial No. 717,262

1 Claim.

This invention relates to a carbon reservoir and a feeding mechanism therefor, designed particularly for the purpose of saving carbon used in motion picture arc lamps.

One of the principal objects of this invention is the production of a simple and eflicient reservoir or magazine, which is adapted to support a plurality of carbon sticks, one above the other, and is provided with means for facilitating the feeding of the carbon sticks into the lamp mechanism of a moving picture machine.

A further object of this invention is the production of a simple and eflicient supporting and feeding means for the carbon sticks, whereby the carbon sticks may be efliciently and properly fed into the lamp mechanism of a motion picture machine.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will appear throughout the following specification and claim.

In the drawings:-

Figure l is a side elevation of the carbon reservoir and feeding mechanism, certain parts thereof being shown in section;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary rear elevation of the carbon stick supporting reservoir;

Figure 3 is a section taken on line 3 3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a longitudinal section taken on line 4-4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a Vertical longitudinal section through the carbon stick feeding mechanism;

. Figure 6 is an end elevation of the reservoir and feeding mechanism;

Figure 7 is a vertical 1--1 of Figure 1;

Figure 8 is a perspective View of one of the carbon sticks showing the manner in which the ends thereof may be grooved for the purpose of permitting the sticks to interlock end to end;

Figure 9 is a perspective View of a modified form of one cf the carbon sticks;

Figure l0 is a horizontal section through the carbon stick reservoir showing a modied form of actuating means for the feeding plunger;

Figure 11 is a section taken on line II-I I of Figure Figure 12 is a section taken on line l2--I2 of Figure 10.

By referring to the drawings, it will be seen that I Il designates the clamp which is adapted to be fastened to a lamp supporting mechanism, the clamp being of any suitable or desired type, but preferably consisting of a pair of longitudinally extending or parallel members which may be section taken on line clamped at their inner ends to the lamp mechanism in any suitable or desired manner. The clamp I0 supports two vertically extending legs II and I2, shown clearly in Figures l and 4, which legs Il and I2 may be pivotally secured through the medium of the securing bolts I3 and I4, respectively. Suitable spacing bushings I 5 may be employed upon the bolts I3 and I4, as shown in Figure 7 to hold the legs II and I2 in proper position.

The upper ends of the legs II and I2 support the vertically extending reservoir or magazine I6, the legs il and I2 being secured to the base portion I1 of the reservoir or magazine IS through the medium of the connecting bolts I8 and I9. The bolts I3, I4, I3 and I9, may be adjusted in order to properly adjust the legs Il and I2 with respect to the clamp I9, and also the reservoir I6 with respect to the legs II and I2, The connection of the bolts I8 and I9 and the adjustment permitted thereby will permit the operator to swing the reservoir IG to obtain proper alignment with the lamp mechanism. This structure will also permit the reservoir I5 to be tilted if desired for dumping out the carbon sticks through the open upper end of the reservoir I6.

The base portion I1 of the reservoir I 6 terminates in vertically extending straps which are secured in any suitable or desired manner, to the reservoir body 2l, as for instance by means of the screws 22. The reservoir body 2| comprises preferably a iiat plate having side flanges 23 which flanges 23 terminate in inturned track rails 24, which track rails 24 are spaced in parallel relation to the inner face 25 of the body 2I of the reservoir. This structure will provide an open side for the reservoir and permit access to the carbon sticks and facilitate the stacking of the sticks, as shown in Figure 1. As shown in Figures l, 5, and 6, the side anges 23 of the 40 reservoir body 2| terminate short of the bottom 26 of the reservoir, to provide openings 21 and 28 at the respective ends near the bottom of the reservoir.

To one side of the reservoir I G is supported a plunger tube 29, the tube 29 being securely held in place by means of a suitable clamp 30. 'Ihis plunger tube 29 carries a sliding plunger 3|, the plunger 3l carrying an upstanding pin 32 which travels in the longitudinally extending slot 33 formed in the upper face of the tube 29. An expansible coil spring 34 is mounted Within the tube 29, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, and is adapted to urge the plunger 3l for- Wardly through the bottom of the reservoir I6 55 to the position shown in Figure 5. The upstanding pin 32 will constitute a button for facilitating the manual operation or longitudinal movement of the plunger 3l and will also constitute a guide for limiting the longitudinal movement of the plunger 3l. A pin 35 may be carried by the outer end of the tube 29 upon which one end of the spring 34 may be anchored, if desired. It should be understood that the bottom 26 constitutes a substantially U-shaped channel through which the plunger 3l is adapted to move longitudinally for the purpose of ejecting or feeding the carbon sticks 36, as shown in Figure 1.

As shown in Figure 1, the reservoir or magazine I6 is preferably formed of sheet metal and the track rails 24, by being inturned, will provide channels along the vertical longitudinal edges of the magazine or reservoir, thereby permitting the carbon sticks 36 to be arranged one above the other, and lie longitudinally of the width of the reservoir or magazine E6, as shown in Figure 1. Consequently, as one carbon stick 3S is forced into the lamp mechanism indicated in diagram in Figures 1 and 2, and designated by the numeral 3l, the carbon stick next above will automatically drop into the substantially U-shaped channel or bottom 'Z6 and be ready for movement into the lamp mechanism 3l.

The carbon sticks 36 are preferably of an elongated tubular nature and are provided with slots 38 at one end, and tongues 3Q at the opposite end, the tongue of one carbon stick being adapted to fit into the adjoining slot 38 of the next adjoining stick, as is shown in Figure 1 While the sticks are being fed into the lamp mechanism. In this way, the sticks will be properly held in position in order to lock the sticks together to provide the necessary turning motion to the carbon. No attempt is being made to illustrate the particular type of lamp mechanism in view of the fact that the present invention resides in the structure of the magazine and the carbon feeding mechanism illustrated and described in connection with the present invention.

In Figure 9, there is shown a modified form of the invention wherein a carbon stick 4) is illustrated having oppositely arranged tongues 4l and 42 formed at the respective ends thereof, the tongue on one end of one carbon being adapted to intert with a similar tongue on an adjoining end of an adjoining carbon. In this Way, the carbons may be interlocked longitudinally one to the other. Y

In Figures 10, 11 and 12, I have indicated a modified form of the invention wherein the reservoir is indicated by the numeral 43. The reservoir 43 is provided with a carbon receiving channel 44 at its bottom which communicate with a plunger supporting tube 45, the tube 45 projecting beyond one side edge of the reservoir or magazine 43, as shown in Figure 10. This plunger supporting tube 45 carries a plunger 4S which is movable longitudinally of the tube 43 and this tube 45 is provided with longitudinally extending slots 41.

In the modified form shown in Figures 10, 1l and l2 the tube 4'! is square in cross-section and the plunger 46 is also shown square in crosssection. It should be understood that the plunger as well as the plunger tube may be of any shape desired without departing from the spirit of the invention. The plunger 46 carries at one end an upstanding pin 48 which is provided with an angularly extending arm 49 to which arm is secured a contractile coil spring 50, the coil spring being secured at its opposite end to the far side of the reservoir or magazine 43 through the medium of a projecting lug 5l. This coil spring 53 will normally urge the plunger 46 through the bottom of the reservoir 43 for the purpose of feeding the carbon sticks from the reservoir or magazine.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that a very simple and efficient means has been provided for facilitating the feeding of carbon sticks to a lamp mechanism of a moving picture machine and furthermore, that a magazine is provided whereby the sticks may automatically drop in succession into the bottom of the magazine where they may be engaged by means of a feeding plunger to feed or force the sticksrinto an adjoining lamp mechanism.

It should be understood that certain detail changes in the mechanical construction may be employed without departing from the spirit of the invention so long as these changes fall Within the scope of the appended claim.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:-

A means for feeding carbon to a lamp mechanism comprising a reservoir for supporting carbon sticks in stacked relation, said reservoir having a vertically extending trackway and a carbon receiving trough at the bottom thereof, supporting means for said reservoir for attaching the same to a lamp mechanism and holding the reservoir in proper ejecting position for feeding a carbon stick to the lamp mechanism, an ejecting plunger located in alignment with said trough and adapted to move longitudinally of the trough for feeding and ejecting a carbon stick from the bottom of the reservoir and longitudinally of said trough, carbon sticks mounted within the reservoir, each carbon stick having interlocking and intertting means at the ends thereof whereby the carbon sticks may be locked for uniform rotation when placed end to end and while being fed into the lamp mechanism, legs supporting the reservoir, bolts pivotally connecting said legs to the bottom of said reservoir` whereby said reservoir may be swung laterally and adjusted to move the reservoir into proper alignment with a lamp mechanism and also be swung to a dumping position.

JOHN L. WESTHAVER. 

